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Khutba  #15

The Hereafter and the Fate of the Sinners

May I ask that we all hold to Taq’wa, which means piety and righteousness, and to revere Allah and obey His Divine Commands!  Let us be aware of our eventuality and departure into the everlasting life.  May Allah provide us all with the spirit of righteousness and obedience as best means for all of us.

The Holy Quran emphasizes that faith must not only be a prominent but also a permanent fixture in the life of believers throughout their lives.  It says in Surah 2 (al-Baqarah), Ayah 285:

آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ

كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ

وَقَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ

“The Messenger and the believers with him, believe in what has been revealed from his Lord:  Each believes in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers, making no distinction between His Messengers.  They say: “We hear and obey, O Lord! We seek Thy forgiveness, and to You is the return.”

For sure Allah shall restore people to life and reward them for the good deeds and punish them for the bad deeds.  Allah gives believers and people of devotion a purpose in life and designates the important priorities they need to focus on.  In matters of faith, personal as well as family affairs, and public affairs too, Allah has laid out invaluable set of principles.  As a matter of fact, we can check the pulse of our faith by objectively looking at the degree of influence Islam has on our daily lives and the lives of our families.

According to the Holy Quran oppression of any tyrant does not continue. In Surah 89 (al-Fajr), Ayahs 1-14, Allah informs us about ancient tyrannical nations such as Aad people and Thamud people; and also about Pharaoh the tyrant, and how through Allah’s power they were punished harshly then destroyed.  These events show us the outcome of tyrants or arrogant powers.  The Surah, therefore, reminds us of the trappings of tyranny and cautions us to take heed and be careful ourselves.

In the last part of the same Surah the discussion is about the hereafter and the frightful fate of the sinners and unbeliever.  It presents a contrast to the lush rewards the believers will receive.  Ayah from 6-14 of Surah al-Fajr contains meaningful oaths about the punishment of the transgressors of Aad, Thamud, and Pharaoh.  As sinful bad people who did not believe in Allah, and in disobeying the Creator, they met their painful destiny, deservedly so.  Their example was given to the disbelievers of Mecca, to understand their own status and to awaken them to believe.

“[O Muhammad] Are you aware of how your Lord has dealt with the people of Aad?”

Let us explain further.  The term Tara ‘see’ in the Ayah means ‘consider or understand’.  In this verse, the addressee was of course the Prophet (pbuh), but the warning was to all.  The people of Aad lived with their Prophet Hood.  They were mighty and strong in stature; and likewise they were considered as the frightful belligerent power in the area.  Likewise they were advanced in their civilization, with lofty buildings in large cities, an unusual thing in those days.  That is why in the next verse of the same Surah  (al-Fajr), Ayah 7-8, Allah (swt) says:

إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ   الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلادِ

“Iram, the many-pillared, the likes of which were not created in all the land?”

People of Aad were the strongest and the most advanced of their time; their cities were the best.  Yet, the Quran says, they came to their destruction, quite a bad ending. 

Then the Quran in the same Surah (al-Fajr), Ayah 9 refers to the second group of transgressors of ancient times.  It says:

وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ

“And the people of Thamud who hollowed out rocks in the valley”

Thamud people were ancient, whose Prophet was Salih who guided them but repeatedly warned them of their belligerence and violence.  Thamud lived in a land between Medina and Damascus, called Wadi al-Quraa.  They too were relatively advanced in civilization, with comfortable houses and prosperous living, and eye catching lofty buildings.  In similar manner Allah dealt with them severely for their insolence, belligerence,  and corrupt way of life.  They too became an example to others about their dismal fate. 

As to the third group, Pharaoh is spoken about in the same Surah:

“...and with Pharaoh of the many stakes”

The meaning is put in the form of a question.  God asks:  “Did you see what Allah did to Pharaoh who was mighty, but tyrannized his people?

In conclusion, referring to the behavior of the three groups, meaning Aad, Thamud, and Pharaoh the Quran says:

“[It was they] who transgressed beyond bounds in their lands;

and brought about great corruption therein”

Corruption, in the form of any tyranny, transgression, belligerence, cruelty and lust, were the result of their disobedience of the Almighty.  Thus, disobedience leads to self-destruction sooner or later.  In a meaningful, but in short sentence, the Surah points out to the agonizing punishment of these people, saying:

“Therefore your Lord let loose upon them a scourge of suffering.”

The last statement illustrates the deserved chastisements as cast on those people.  Finally, as a warning to all people, the Holy Quran says in the Surah:

“Surely your Lord is ever on the watch.”

Briefly said this warns that nobody should think he could ever escape from the watchful eyes of the Almighty.  It is a warning for man to beware and take heed.  Man is under the authority and power of God, and whatever Allah Wills, He may administer the punishment if need be.  This will be according to the measure of God’s justice.  This reality is not related to any special time or place, for Allah is not confined to a particular group or a special era or time.  Allah’s Power is over all transgressors, tyrants and sinners, always superseding them.  Injustice cannot escape from the Will of Allah.

For the end of the 1^st part of the Khutba, read Surah Al-Asr, take a short intermission, then start the 2^nd part of the Khutba with a short Du’aa.

In the present age man suffers a great deal because of weak morals, piety, and spirituality, despite his scientific and industrial advances.  Man needs Taq’wa (Piety) in social life as well as in personal and family life.  Unfortunately the dearth of Taq’wa and the failure to practice it leads to dreadful consequences.  May Allah help us that justice, piety, and righteousness prevail!  Holy Quran states that injustice will not endure.

The bashers of Islam are trying to undermine not only the glory but also the growth of Islam, mostly in the Western countries.  They are hard at work to disseminate malice and falsehood about Islam.  To identify all Muslims as terrorists is pure nonsense, as we all know.  These accusations are false, since Islam from its very core is completely against terrorism.  But we ourselves need to recognize the difference between terrorism versus defending the homeland, humanity, and freedom; as well as protecting the life of family members and property.  Besides, it is a sacred responsibility of every Muslim to take a firm stand against any form of abuse of human rights.  The Prophet (pbuh) said in a Hadith:[1]

Though malicious people try to impede or even destroy Islam, but in Surah 61 (al-Saff), Ayah 8 Allah assures us so eloquently:

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِؤُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ

وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

“They aim to extinguish the light of Allah with what they utter;  but Allah has Willed to spread His light in its fullness; however averse the disbelievers may be.”

The malicious detractors of Islam (no matter how hard they try) will fail, for Allah has promised so.  In our current time, the enemies of Islam want to put out the light of Allah, destroy the truth, and Islam itself, but for sure they will fail.  Again we mention that Allah has promised the believers of their success to reach out to others and distribute Islam all over.

We quote in here a section of Imam Zainul Abideen Du’aa against the tyrants and the wrongdoers:[2]

We pray Allah to help all oppressed people around the world especially our sisters and brothers in Palestine.

Finally, let us read Surah Al-Nasr with a short Du’aa to close the Khutba.